MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali piracy has re-emerged along the country’s coastline, with several attacks on commercial vessels reported in recent weeks near the shores of Puntland and the western Indian Ocean.
Officials from the European Union’s naval mission, EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta, said the situation had become increasingly worrying as attempted hijackings and armed assaults at sea rose again.
International naval forces have since stepped up patrols in the area to protect ships navigating the vital trade routes through the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The European Union warned that the renewed piracy threat poses a serious risk to global trade and regional stability, urging closer maritime security cooperation and greater support for Somalia’s federal authorities.
Local residents, particularly fishermen in Puntland, said the attacks have sparked fear among coastal communities and disrupted their livelihoods.
“If the pirates come back, fishing will stop and many people will lose their jobs,” said a fisherman from the coastal town of Eyl.
The resurgence marks a worrying reversal after years of decline in Somali piracy, which had largely been contained through international naval operations and improved security measures.
However, maritime security experts say weak coastal policing, Somalia’s internal instability, and ongoing tensions in the Red Sea have created conditions for pirate networks to regroup and return to sea.
